21 July Il St Joseph

Il St Joseph is the smallest of the three islands.  The ruins here haven't been restored and many of the buildings are without roofs.  We saw long sheds which may have had dividing walls for cells.  

the island is reclaiming the buildings

Entrance to solitary confinement cells

Some of the solitary confinement cells were open to the elements and allowed the guards to watch everything from the walkways above.






It is about 80 years since the last prisoners left and the islands abandoned.  It doesn't take long for nature to reclaim it leaving a unique and eerie landscape.

cemetery emtrance

On the north side of the island there's a cemetery for the guards and their families, but we also found graves of sailors. Presumably crew from the transport ships who also never left Devil's island.  The bodies of prisoners were thrown in to the sea to become food for the sharks.

a naval head stone